Filing cabinet



March 18, 1924;

J. WEISBARTH FILING CABINET Filed March 28, 1922 Fit-5.2.

lllliv Swuwwl oz Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN WEISBARTH, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

FILING CABINET.

Application filed March 28, 1 922.

To all whom it may conccm:

Be it known that JOHN WmsBAn'rH, citizen of the United States of America, residingat Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a filing cabinet for phonograph records or the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide and arrange a series or a plurality of series of movable shelves or supports in a file in sequence, to receive records or the.

.like for storage purposes.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means (after selection of a particular phonograph record or a particular thing desired, that is stored in the tile) to impart movement to the sliding support, upon which the selected record or thing is placed, to position the sliding support which carries the record or thing desired, within easy and convenient access to the user, to peri'nit the removal of the particularrecord or thing from the sliding support or to place it on the support for storage purposes after it has been used for the purpose intended.

A further object is to provide a mechanism to impart movement to a series of sliding supports arranged in the file in regular sequence, which are operable by a single unit or operating means, or if preferred, to provide a plurality of unit operating means, to impart movement to a predetermined number of the sliding supporting members in the series in separate groups.

These and other objects are attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification in which Fig. 1 is a cross sectional plan view of the file and cabinet showing a single support in normal position (having a record thereon) in full lines and projected from its normal position in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 shows a movable frame. having a rack bar secured thereto with a pinion meshed therewith.

Fig. r'iS a front view of the tile and cabinet showing a portion of the door broken away to disclose the arrangement in regular sequence of a plurality of sliding supporting members. i

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the cabinet having a portion broken away to disclose the SeriarNo. 547,363.

arrangement and use of a plurality of oper- .a'ting units which are assembled to impart movement to a predetermined number of the sliding supports. 1

Fig. 5 isa detail perspective view of one of the sliding supports. I p

The invention as shown in the drawings is preferably applied to a phonograph cabinet for storing records, but it may bcused for movably supporting other things with a view of selecting and securing a particular thing or record desired, without handling or disturbing the other things or records, stored in the file. p

In the drawings, reference numerals l, 2, 3, l and 5, represent the exterior frame work of a conventional type of phonograph cabinet. I v

The interior frame-work of the cabinet comprises frame bars 6, 7, 8 and 9. A vertical stationary standard 10 having a groove 11 formed therein is secured to the frame bars 8 and 9 as shown in Figs. '1 and 2.

A frame supporting bar 12 is spaced apart from the stationary bar 10 and slidably mounted for vertical movement on a standard 13, having a supporting member 14 provided thereon and aine-mber 15 is secured to its opposite end for attachment to the partition 16 of the cabinet.

One or more cross slats as indicated by reference numerals'l'T, 18, 19 and 20, are securely attached at one end tothe vertical sliding bar 12 and their opposite or free ends slidably engage the slot 11 in the bar 10 for guiding and protecting purposes.

A vertical slat 21, which is preferably made of thicker material than the cross slats, is attached to the horizontal slats .17, 18, 19 and 21, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby forming with the cross slat-s a frame-work which moves vertically simultaneously with the movement of the bar '12.

Alined apertures 22 are provided in the horizontal slats and the vertical slats 21 where they intersect with each other as shown, for a purpose that will be described hereafter.

The above describes a vertical movable. framework which is slidably supported on the standard 18 by a rack bar 28 which is secured to the frame supporting bar 12. A pinion 24meshes with the rack bar.

Frame members 25 and 26 are arranged within the cabinet and file and provided iii with a plurality of kerfs (or grooves) to receive supporting members (shelves, drawers, or the like) 28 as shown in Fig. 3.

Each sliding supporting member is preferably provided with an upturned lip portion 29 and a portion ofthe support is cut away at 30 as shown in Fig. 1 to permit the user to grasp the record without at the same time, grasping the support.

This arrangement provides for the insertion of a series of supporting members in the kerfs which may be constructed to form shelves, drawers or the like which are adapted to be slid-ably mounted thereon.

The pinion 24 is mounted upon a rotatable shaft 32 which is supported at one end, in a bearing 33. and its opposite end is supported by and extends through the part 4: of the cabinet.

A knob 34,01 handle is attached to the shaft 32 and a pointer 35 is provided on the hub portion thereof.

A dial 36 which is adapted to co-operate with the pointer is secured to the cabinet. (See Fig. 1.)

Means to impart movementto the sliding supports can be connected to the above de scribed mechanism to operate all of the sliding supports mounted in the file through the medium of a single operating means or if desired, a plurality of operating means can be connected as shown, to operate a certain section of, or a predetermined number of the sliding supports.

In the drawings as shown in Fig. 4, four separate unit operating means are employed which are adapted to be used to select any one of a predetermined number of records that are stored in the file or in a particular section of the file.

In other words, one unit operating means may be used to. impart movement to records in'separate sections as shown in Fig. 3, that is from one to seven and a second unit can be used to impart movement to another section of the records numbered from one to seven or the like and this arangement is repeated until provision is made to impart movement to all of the members in the file.

, The file may be constructed for operating a predetermined number of records by a one unit operating mechanism as stated, or if preferred, a plurality of units may be used to operate the same number of sliding shelves if desired.

The.construction'of the means employed for imparting; movement to the sliding supports will now be described.

An operating bar 37 is loosely mounted inthe frame-work at one end as shown at 37 and its opposite end passes through a suitable aperture formed in the sliding bar 12 and one of the cross slats, as shown in Fig. 1.

-A portion of the end of the bar 12 is turned at right angles to the body portion as shown at 38.

A push rod 39 is connected loosely to the end portion 88 of the bar 37 through the medium of a boss 39. The push rod projects toward the front of the cabinet parallel wit-h the rod 37 and its free end is normally positioned adjacent to or in contact with the upturned or lipped port-ion 29 of a sliding support or shelf.

The free end of the push rods of each of the operating bars or unit operating means pass through the apertures 22 provided in the sliding frame and are supported and guided thereby.

A washer a1 is secured to the push rod 37 and is adapted to abut against one end of a coil spring 4:2. The opposite end of the spring 42 abuts against the frame of the cabinet under compression thereby au tomatically maintaining the operating bar and attached push rod in its normal position.

The end of the shaft 32 projects beyond the exterior of the phonograph cabinet and a knob or handle 34 is secured thereto to be used by the operator for imparting a rotating movement to the shaft 32 to rotate the pinion 24: and impart a sliding vertical movement to the frame supporting bar 12.

i The above describes the operation and construction of one unit operating means only. All of the units are constructed, combined and co-operate in the same manner. It is not thought necessary therefore, to describe each unit separately, except to suggest that as constructed and shown in the drawings, any unit may be operated independent of the other, to select a particular record or thing from the file or any one of its predetermined sections, independent of each other.

One or more selections can be made of the records or things in the file; that is, one or more may be selected and moved to positions accessible to the user of the file to replace the record being played on the phonograph.

In the use of the file to indicate and select a particular or special record or thing desired, an ordinary index card A is used, which index card preferably contains the following subject matter 2- The numbers of the sliding supporting members, or shelves, its section number and the name of the particular record desired. When it is desired to select a particular record or thing, the numb-er of the record desired is ascertained by referring to the index card and the pointer is then turned to point to or alined with a number on the dial. that corresponds to the number of the sliding supporting member or shelf that contains the record or thing desired.

The operator then grasps the knob 43 and ill pulls the operating bar 37 forward, against the pressure of the spring 42, forcing the push rod in contact with the upturned or lipped portion 29, of the supporting member forcing it to travel forward beyond the front of the file to any position found most convenient or accessible to the user to grasp the record or thing for the purpose intended.

After the record is in position and the record or thing removed from the supporting member, the supporting member may be pushed back to its normal position, or'it may be permitted to remain in its out position to receive the record or thing, preparatory to storing same in the file.

When the supporting member or shelf is forced to travel to a position where the record or thing is accessible to the user and the grasp of the user is released from the knob, the compression of the sprin exerts its pressure to automatically return t e push rod 40 to its normal position, leaving the sliding supporting member in its out position, where it remains, unless pushed back by the user to its normal position for storage purposes.

I claim 1-- 1. In a filing cabinet, frame members hav ing a plurality of kerfs formed therein, a plurality of supporting members slidably mounted in the kerfs, a stationar Y member provided with a slot, a standard, a frame supporting bar arranged in spaced relation to the stationary member and slidably mounted on the standard, a frame attached to the frame supporting bar having a portion thereof extending in the slot of the sta tionary member, an operating unit journaled to the file and connected to the frame supporting bar whereby movement can be imparted to a selected movable support.

2. In a filing cabinet, frame members having a plurality of kerfs formed therein, a plurality of supporting members slidably mounted in the kerfs, a stationary member formed with a slot, a standard, a frame sup porting bar arranged in spaced relation to the stationary member and slidably mounted on the standard, a frame attached to the frame supporting bar, a portion extending into the slot of the stationary member, operating units journaled on the file and connected to the frame supporting bar, whereby movement can be imparted to a selected movable support to project same in front of the file for the purpose desired.

3. In a filing cabinet, frame members having a plurality of kerfs formed therein, a plurality of supporting members slidably mounted in the kerfs, a stationary member formed with a slot, a standard, a frame supporting bar arranged in spaced relation to the stationary member and slidably mounted on the standard, a frame attached to the frame supporting bar having a portion extending into the slot of the stationary member, operating units journaled to the file and connected to the frame supporting bar whereby movement can be imparted to a selected support and a pointer adapted when adjusted, to move the frame supporting bar to a position that will bring the operating unit to a position in alinement with a particular movable supporting member, that will correspond with the number indicated on the dial by the indicator.

4. In a device of the character described a series of compartments arranged in vertical sequence in said device, movable members slidably supported in said compartments, a stationary slotted standard positioned within said device, a second standard arranged within said device in spaced relation to the stationary standard, a movable supporting bar mounted on said second stationary standard, a plurality of slat members forming a frame work fixedly attached to said movable supporting bar at one end and having the free ends extending into the slotted stationary bar, operating means secured to said device and adapted to be brought in contact with a movable member of a compartment to force the movable member in one direction, and yielding means to automatically return said means to its normal position.

5. Claim 1 including the following element, an index adapted when actuated to change the position of the operating means with respect to the movable members so as to impart movement. to a predetermined movable member.

6. In a cabinet, a vertically movable frame, a plurality of vertically disposed movable shelves which are adapted to be ejected on a horizontal plane therefrom, a plurality of ejector means mounted on said cabinet which are connected to said vertically movable frame and movable thereby so as to be brought in contact with predetermined shelves, an indicator, means associated with the indicator which is adapted to impart movement to the vertically movable frame, whereby said ejector means are so positioned that a selected shelf can be ejected from its normal position as indicated by the operator of the indicator, as described.

7. The elements described in claim 6 having in addition thereto a group of ejector means mounted on said cabinet whereby each one of said ejector means comprising the group can be operated to eject a certain shelf within the range of movement of a particular ejector means when the shelf it is desired to eject is indicated by the operator on the indicator.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN WEISBARTH. 

